Man escapes jail after bashing a wheel clamper

11:26am Thursday 20th December 2001

A MAN who bashed a wheel clamper over the head in 'a one-off' attack escaped a jail sentence from a judge who described him as an 'otherwise decent young man'.

Private wheel clamper Mark Haywood was hit over the head with a wheel clamp by Ashfaq Ghafoor, of London Road, High Wycombe, in the Castle Street area on April 14, 2000, Aylesbury Crown Court heard on Monday. Ghafoor pleaded guilty to malicious wounding.

Ben Gumpert, prosecuting, said a row broke out after Mr Haywood found a vehicle had been parked illegally minutes after he had told a BMW driver to move off the same spot. He told the court how Mr Haywood went to get his clamp out after a group of men around the car refused to move it.

The clamp was thrown onto another car by one of the group after which, said Mr Gumpert, 21-year-old Ghafoor, previously uninvolved, suddenly picked up a piece of the wheel clamp and hit Mr Haywood over the head.

Defending, Basil Hillman claimed Ghafoor had firstly acted as a 'good Samaritan' but had over-reacted after trying to help a disabled driver who was about to be clamped.

"Ever since he has been remorseful," said Mr Hillman. "It was an unpremeditated incident which occurred on the spur of the moment."

Judge Terence Maher imposed a Community Punishment and Rehabilitation Order - 12 months probation and 100 hours Community Service - and told Ghafoor to pay £600 compensation to Mr Haywood.

"You were lucky you did not do more damage but you are an otherwise decent young man from a decent family and I think there is just about room for treating this as a one-off," said Judge Maher before sentencing.

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